The writer’s greatest grievance, however, is their rejection of the Lutheran dogma of justification by faith, and their agreement “with the Papists in extolling works as efficient causes of salvation.”  “Amongst the rest, indeed,” he exclaims, “they insinuate a good life, as which they pretend to follow, which is as the vizard and cloak to hide all the rest of their gross and absurd doctrines, and the hook and bait whereby the simple are altogether deceived.”  He is greatly concerned that “none but those who are willingly minded to their doctrines can get a sight of their books";[17:1] and that “they are disinclined to disputations and conferences with those not inclined to their opinions.”  He informs his readers that “it is a maxim in the Family to deny before men all their doctrines, so that they keep the same secret in their hearts”; that though they may inwardly reject, yet they will outwardly conform to the forms of the Church as by law established; that “they have certain sleights amongst them to answer any question that may be demanded of them.”  Thus “they do decree all men to be infants who are under the age of thirty years.  So that if they be demanded whether infants ought to be baptized, they answer yea; meaning thereby that he is an infant until he attain to those years at which time they ought to be baptized, and not before.”  However, it may be well to mention here that the writer speaks of the Anabaptists and of the Family of Love as if he recognised them to be distinct heresies.

From their doctrines as formulated in this pamphlet, based on “A Confession made by two of the Family of Love before a worthy and worshipful Justice of the Peace, May 28th, 1561,” we take the following: 

(a) “When any person shall be received into their congregation, they cause all their brethren to assemble, the Bishop or Elder doth declare unto the newly-elected brother, that if he will be content that all his goods shall be in common amongst the rest of all his brethren, he shall be received.”

     (b) “They may not say God save anything.  For they affirm that all
     things are ruled by Nature, and not directed by God.”

     (c) “They did prohibit bearing of weapons, but at the length,
     perceiving themselves to be noted and marked for the same, they
     have allowed the bearing of staves.”

     (d) “When a question is demanded of any of them, they do of order
     stay a great while ere they answer, and commonly their words shall
     be Surely or So.”

     (e) “They hold that no man should be baptized before he is of the
     age of thirty years.”

     (f) “They hold that heaven and hell are present in this world
     amongst us, and that there is none other."[18:1]

     (g) “They hold the Pope’s service and this service now used in
     the Churches to be naught.”